Artisan Bread

My mom and sister gave me a recipe to make artisan bread. It is from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The recipe allows you to make a batch of bread dough that can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks! You can have a fresh loaf of bread anytime you choose, and it seriously does only take around five minutes to whip up a batch.. I'll give you the simplified recipe version, so if you want further instructions, check out the book or the website http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/ .

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 TBS Coarse Salt (Kosher salt works well, but plain old table salt works fine too)

1 1/2 TBS Granulated Yeast

6 1/2 cups flour (unbleached all purpose flour is what the recipe calls for, but I made it with

whole wheat flour plus wheat gluten and it was great)

In a very large bowl mix the ingredients with dough hooks and an electric mixer or stir by hand. The dough will be moist. Do NOT add extra flour. No kneading, either. I know, that's your favorite part, right? Simply mix until all the ingredients become a moist dough. Allow to rise uncovered for two hours. Push down the dough from sides of bowl, cover loosely with a lid (don't seal the lid or the gasses will build up and blow the lid off) to keep dough from drying out and keep it clean. You can now store your bread dough for up to TWO WEEKS!! in the refrigerator.

When you want to bake a loaf (you can do this on the same day you make a batch as long as you have finished letting it rise first) simply pull up a grapefruit-sized piece of dough and cut it off using a knife. Sprinkle with a bit of flour so it won't stick to your hands, and quickly pull the edges under to make a round shape. Sprinkle cornmeal or wheat germ on a cutting board and put the dough on it. Dust a bit more flour on top of the dough, then cut three slashes in the dough. These will allow the free-form loaf to shape nicely while rising and baking. Let dough rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven during this time to 450 degrees, and put water in a broiler pan or cookie sheet to create steam. Make sure this water doesn't run dry while you are baking, because the steam is what bakes the bread and makes an awesome chewy crust. After 30 minutes put the dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. You can make a larger loaf by cutting off more dough, but then you should increase your baking time to around 30-35 minutes. Even if the crust becomes very dark, it will not burn the middle.

This recipe will make four 1 lb loaves (made with the grapefruit-sized piece of dough). You can double the recipe, which is what I usually do because we love this bread. It slices well for sandwiches and toast, and I have used it for a chewy pizza crust as well. I'm sure you could also use it for breadsticks. This recipe is super easy, and you can have fresh bread anytime you want. As soon as you finish using the last of your dough, don't wash the bowl. Simply mix the next batch in the same bowl, and mix in the old bits from the sides and bottom of the bowl. This will help improve the taste of your bread by adding to the aged flavor.

I know this looks like a lot of instructions, but it's really simple once you make it a couple of times. Let me know if you have questions. Happy baking!

My poem from last semester

I wrote this poem last semester. I thought I'd post it....

Wedding Ring

On my left hand is a golden ring,
A circular symbol of eternal love,
Scratched from years of wear
Silently declaring to the world
I am taken.

I've worn my ring for so long
That it has created an indent,
A silhouette on my finger--
Like the marks left in carpet
By heavy furniture.

Its diamonds refract light
Into tiny sparkles and rainbows,
Light I carry wherever I go.
People say diamonds are a girl's best friend;
My best friend gave me the diamonds.

I noticed the weight of the ring
As it was lovingly placed on my finger
By a warm heart and nervous hand.
Now I notice its absence when I take it off,
Like a piece of me is missing.

I rarely remove the band,
Only to make bread;
The dough pulls our grime left from
Diapers, dishes, daily duties.
Maybe I should clean it more often.

I like the bits of grime and scratches.
They are tokens of the journey,
Memories etched in soft metal--
From our June wedding day
To purchasing a minivan

College, Coca-Cola, kids
Star Trek and McDonalds,
The birth of each daughter,
Date night every Friday,
Sunny days and stormy weather--

Holding hands through it all...
The greatest adventure of my life.

Wedding Ring

Last week I lost the center diamond out of my wedding ring. I was very disappointed, and I haven't found the diamond yet. I told Jim that since we were married in the temple we should have bought an extended warranty on the ring. Jim said that on the bright side, my ring lasted longer than most marriages. Ahh, there always is a bright side, isn't there?

Jim took me to Target and bought me a beautiful sterling silver and cubic zirconium ring for fifteen dollars to wear. It's funny, I have spent a lot of time reflecting this week about my wedding ring and its symbolism. You know what I've learned? My cubic zirconium ring sparkles just as much as my diamond ring (actually it sparkles more because the stones are larger), and it shows the world I am married just as well as my diamond ring. I actually really like me new ring, but I'll admit there is a lot of sentimental value attached to my other wedding ring. It's not the value of the diamond that is the loss so much as it is the fact that I have worn my wedding ring through everything over the past nine years. On the other hand, I now have a ring I can wear and not worry about damaging. I have a quote on my wall (it looks like vinyl lettering but I actually bought it at the Dollar Tree for a buck) that says, "The best things in life aren't things." I guess losing my diamond is a good reminder of that.